


Addictive

by ShirobootyIncorporated



Category: DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Aoba is mentioned but not there, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Set before ViTri bad ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-06
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-25 02:43:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4943632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShirobootyIncorporated/pseuds/ShirobootyIncorporated
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One drug leads to another. Ryuuhou's mind-altering tattoos made him addicted to color, and drove him to the hallucinogenic drug Songbird. Virus and Trip want him to tattoo Aoba in the hope of bringing out Sly Blue, while Toue scrambles to use the artist to his own advantage. All Ryuuhou has to do is gain everyone's trust, but secrecy like his is taboo in Toue's inner circle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Addictive

**Author's Note:**

> This is just me playing with my former test subject and drug addict Ryuuhou headcanons. It's set before Virus and Trip's bad end, and it's also my best guess about Ryuuhou's place in Toueland.

The text message simply said "very clever."  
"I saw it coming from a mile away," I said, "but they aren't that much of a threat. The worst that can happen is that they decide they don't need me."  
Toue smiled, a kind of how-didn't-I-notice half smile. He stood out from the rest of his annoyingly sterile office. At least it wasn't dark. Being deprived of light felt like drug withdrawal.  
"Then make them need you. Become their friend if you must. We need Aoba for this to work, and that means they can't have him," he said as he filled a small wine glass. He passed it to me. Must be expensive, that wine...  
"Thank you, but I don't drink."  
He raised his eyebrows.  
"That's a lie. I remember seeing you passed out in an alleyway once."  
I held up a bag of pills.  
"Not alcohol."  
He took the wine glass back. Strange that he hadn't known. The first rule of this place was that Toue knew everything, and if he didn't he would quickly figure out. I had been taking Songbird for several years now, though I went to light clubs as well. If it took him that long...  
On the other hand, the second rule was that Virus and Trip also knew everything. Maybe the rules being broken was a good thing.  
"Thank you, Ryuuhou. I have the information I need."  
I closed out the message and got up, about to leave when--  
"Wait. I need one more thing."  
"Hm?"  
"We don't have the long-term effects of the tattoos yet. Have you kept tabs on any of the test subjects?"  
Of course I didn't.  
"They all disappeared, but I have a lead on one. The one with the strongest reaction, and my--"  
"Your masterpiece, as you've told me so many times. I need to see the long-term effects before I know if I'll still need your services."  
"You'd kick me to the curb if the drug doesn't work right? That's callous, even by your standards."  
He smiled again, this time in a predatory way that made my skin crawl.  
"You're a good asset. You follow orders and don't ask too many questions," he said, "I wish Virus was more like you sometimes. You just don't have much influence, and I need influence in this stage. I promise, you'll have a position in the new Midorijima, but I may need to let you go for now."  
The third rule would always get me. Everyone feared Virus and Trip, trusted Sei too much, and despised me.  
"I'll make Virus and Trip stick to the plan and find Koujaku. Anything else?"  
"For all they know, you work with me and not for me. Keep it that way."

\---

"I don't wanna go out," Trip said. That left me stuck in their house, an atmosphere that was too intimate and too alien at the same time.  
"Trip, he might not be used to us yet. Maybe our house would get a better reception if you cleaned up for once," Virus said, gesturing to the food-covered coffee table, "Ryuuhou, I'm sorry if it's too messy."  
Everything was black and white. The only bright colors were the addictive hues of the cakes on the table.  
"It's not," I said. It was nothing compared to my house. I barely had enough free space on my bed to sleep. I turned to Trip, "I take it you like sweets?"  
"No."  
"Anyway, we called you here for a reason."  
So this was their strange form of a business meeting. I needed to get closer to them, enough to influence their plan. How could I do that if they were holding me at arm's length? Did I want to be closer to them?  
Definitely not, but this gets money and money gets Songbird.  
"And what would that be?"  
"Aoba," Trip said. It always came back to him with those two.  
"What do you want me to do?" I asked. Hersha slithered across the couch, finding a place on Virus's lap. The Allmate had eerily similar eyes to its owner.  
"Your tattoos can bring out someone's hidden side, isn't that right? We want you to bring out Aoba's."  
These two were either absolutely insane, or horribly misinformed.  
"The drug I use brings out everything that a person hides, even from himself. Are you sure you want me to do this?" I asked. Toue's face flashed across my mind and I mentally slapped myself. I had forgotten my goal. I needed them to go forward with this, just as I needed them to trust me. After all, Toue still needed them.  
"We've seen what Aoba hides, and we want it," Trip said.  
"At least, I think we have. How do most people react to it?" Virus asked.  
I raised my arm a little, the loose sleeve of my kimono falling back to show the dragon on my wrist.  
"I became more obsessed with art, and I wanted to hurt people. I found that I can do both. Does your Aoba have any hobbies?"  
I decided not to mention the Songbird addiction, or how I tended to hoard artwork, or how I sometimes drew for days without even eating.  
"Well...He used to play Rhyme. That's back when we could see his hidden side, though."  
"He shouldn't become too dangerous, since he doesn't seem to hold back like others do. The more he bottles it up, the more dangerous it is."  
Virus just nodded. His curiosity sated, he traversed the maze of bottle shards that led to the kitchen. Getting wine, probably.  
"Have you met Welter?" Trip asked once Virus left.  
"No."  
He got up and entered a hallway. I followed him, picking my way through too many boxes and wine bottles, to the first of a pair of doors.  
"He bites, but he's just playing," he said as he opened the door. What I assumed was his room was spotless, with the same sober color scheme, a nearly reflective floor, and minimal furnishings.  
And a lion.  
I had never seen Trip's Allmate, and now I knew why. Hersha was at least somewhat portable. Welter...what was the point?  
Trip closed the door and slammed me against it in what seemed to be one fluid move.  
"We know Toue sent you," he said.  
"You made that up. You have no evidence."  
His gaze flickered to Welter and back to me.  
"I could get evidence pretty easily."  
I couldn't quite make out what he said to the lion, but it got up and headed straight for me. Trip pushed me to my knees, putting just too much of his weight on my back as he stepped on it. He started to undo the knot holding my kimono closed.  
That's what he was doing.  
My heart seemed to slam itself against my ribs.  
No.  
Not like this.  
"You're right," I said, "Toue put me up to this."  
"And he plans to capture Aoba through you?"  
"Yes."  
Trip dismissed Welter and let me get up. Next thing I noticed, he was leading me away. He stopped in front of another door, this time with a well-worn keyhole.  
He opened the door. It led to a small supply closet.  
An empty, shelfless supply closet.  
He shoved me. I hit the wall hard and the door slammed on me.  
"Toue won't take Aoba from us, and neither will you," Trip said as the lock clicked into place. I heard footsteps, soon fading into silence. Now I was alone, with no Songbird. Without the vivid colors it created, nothing kept the dark at bay. It was too quiet.  
I couldn't see.  
I couldn't hear.  
The withdrawal from sight would be worse than the withdrawal from Songbird.


End file.
